Are decibels like a threshold? If 10 people scream I imagine it would be louder, does that mean that sound stacks on itself?
In: Physics
It does stack. As I recall, two speakers at the same volume results in 3 dB higher output than a single speaker. The scale is logarithmic though, so you would need four speakers to be 6 dB higher than one, and eight would be 9 dB higher.
Yes. Think about a crowded concert hall or sports arena. No single person could make that much noise.
Sound is additive, meaning each additional source of sound makes the total sound louder. Look up “constructive interference” to learn more.
Almost always yes- it of course depends on the people, but you hear each person’s unique voice. Unless they are exactly the same frequency (in which case they would either cancel out if opposite phase or double if in phase), they will likely constructively and destructively interfere with each other. The outcome will almost certainly be louder than not.
As for dB scale, every doubling of sound pressure is 3dB. Some frequencies can excite each other and grow, while some can cancel.
[Here’s another good explanation ](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/214485/why-dont-choir-voices-destructively-interfere-so-that-we-cant-hear-them)
Latest Answers